Sports
Tensions sometimes flare when gay sports leagues mix with straight
Heat-of-the-moment slur from straight opponent raises ire of Federal Triangles leaders
The Federal Triangles players in action. (Photo by Glenn Auve)
Homophobic slurs have been a long-running situation in the sports community and they continue to happen despite the progress of the LGBT sports movement. The comments are tossed at seemingly anyone and often come in the heat of a sporting event. The slurs can be sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic or aimed at anyone who is considered inferior.
The question then becomes, is it OK if the person using the slur apologizes? Does it become a teaching moment?
The Federal Triangles Soccer Club is a long-running LGBT-based soccer club in the Washington area. During the summer season, members run their own league, the Summer of Freedom League. It’s considered a safe space for LGBT players and allies.
During the other three seasons, members of the Federal Triangles are on teams that play in predominately straight soccer leagues in the area. The leagues can consist of either women’s, men’s or co-ed teams.
District Sports is a straight-based nonprofit that provides recreational leagues and tournaments to about 6,300 athletes at 14 separate locations throughout the area. Through targeted fundraising and proceeds from league fees, they distribute tens of thousands of dollars in support to other service-minded nonprofits.
Last weekend at a nine-on-nine men’s match at Bell Field, in the heat of the moment, a straight player called a gay player from the Federal Triangles a maricon, which translates to faggot.
It happened during a foul-filled first half and the referee approached the captain of the straight team at halftime. The straight player stepped forward and admitted that he had used the slur. In this District Sports league, there are four Federal Triangles teams and six straight teams.
The following statement was issued by the gay player who was called the derogatory term.
“At the core of good sportsmanship is fairness, respect and a sense of fellowship with your competitors. Yelling homophobic or racial slurs is far from good sportsmanship and has no place in sports. I am utterly disappointed by the opposing team’s display of homophobia last weekend, yet I can’t say I’m surprised. Homophobia, racism, transphobia, misogyny and discrimination are pervasive in sports, and throughout American society for that matter. The current political climate fueled by Trump’s hate has made homophobia that much worse, leading to skyrocketing hate crimes. It’s everyone’s responsibility to end hate and discrimination, in sports and elsewhere.”
Zach Strauss, director of operations for District Sports, has investigated the incident and found that the player attempted to apologize at the match.
“I have been on the receiving end of that word myself and I hope that this incident will result in people learning from each other,” Strauss says. “The player understands that the word was unacceptable and he seems contrite.”
A statement was also released by the Federal Triangles Soccer Club through team president Adrienne Morris.
“FTSC supports many teams throughout the Washington area and it is uncommon for other teams to resort to hateful speech. However, gay slurs are still sometimes used during sports. Whether it is directed at a player or used without homophobic intent, reprehensible language should never be used. Our players do not tolerate it, and we expect other teams to reject any use of slurs, whether homophobic, sexist or racist. We will continue to support our players and ensure that slurs have no place in sports. When the offending player apologizes, we accept the apology and recognize it is an important step toward understanding how language matters.”
Further inquiries revealed that the straight player who used the slur stated he did not know he was playing against a gay team. OK, but does that make it any less offensive?
Iran and Egypt on Friday faced off during the World Cup’s “Pride Match” in Seattle.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt.
Friday’s match coincided with Pride weekend in Seattle. The Egyptian Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran both objected to playing in the “Pride Match.”
Egypt and Iran tied 1-1.
FIFA, for its part, allowed Pride flags inside the stadium during the match.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” a FIFA spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
Human Rights Watch welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Pride flags inside the stadium. Outright International, a global LGBTQ and intersex rights group, distributed Pride flags in Seattle on Friday, which was Pride Match Day.
“Visibility matters,” said Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin. “Pride is now being celebrated in more than 100 countries, including this weekend in Seattle. For many LGBTIQ people, seeing a Pride flag in public is a reminder that they are not alone, and that their rights and dignity are recognized.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this year told Die Weltwoche, a Swiss magazine, that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup.”
“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city,” said Infantino. “But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
Peter Tatchell, a long-time LGBTQ activist from the U.K. who is director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, was among those who traveled to Seattle for Friday’s match. Tatchell accused FIFA of not vetting World Cup teams — specifically Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Algeria — over whether they would allow gay players.
“FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility in the stands while failing to protect LGBT+ players on the pitch,” said Tatchell.
The Baltimore Orioles will take on the Washington Nationals on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. for Pride Night at Oriole Park.
The first 15,000 fans will receive an exclusive Pride Night Orioles jersey. The Washington Blade is a media sponsor of this event.
To purchase tickets, visit Orioles.com/Tickets.
Sports
Minor league team in York, Pa., forfeits Pride Night game after some players refuse to wear special jersey
City is roughly 20 miles north of Md. border
An independent minor league baseball team says it is forfeiting a game because some of its players refused to wear a special Pride Night jersey.
The Atlantic League Pro Baseball’s York Revolution were planning to hold their 11th annual Pride Night event Thursday for a game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
But the Revolution announced the day of the game that it wouldn’t be played. York is about 20 miles north of the Maryland line. The Blue Crabs play in Waldorf.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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